Stronger Together
by aries03
Summary: sam/jack. a glimpse at the more serious side of jack and sam at the verge of a blooming relationship, and in the midst of crisis.
1. Chapter 1

She just stood there, starring at the door

She just stood there, starring at the door. She had been there for a good ten minutes already. Any neighbors who happened to be watching probably though she was a loon, but she knew she had to get it under control before knocking on that door. It had been over a year since she had last seen him. As it stands, their relationship is still on that professional level, and she had to honor that. She took a deep breath and decided to just go for it.

………..

He sighed as he set his Guinness on the table beside his chair. The sun was warm, the air refreshing. It was his one day off in over two weeks, and he planned to enjoy second of it. The only thing, in his mind, that could have made this moment better was if it was Minnesota instead, fishing on his lake. Man, did he ever miss those days. The sun was beginning its decent in the sky when he heard a knock on the door.

"Ah, alas, my pizza."

He made his way carelessly into the apartment and to the door. However, he could feel the wind being metaphorically knocked out of him as he saw her face in place of the normal pizza delivery man. It was the last person he expected, but the one person he was always hoping, to be on the other side of the door. He was speechless.

"Hello, sir."

It took a moment for the shock to wear off. He could sense how nervous she was standing there. The same feeling echoed through him. However, he knew that he had to keep it together for her. He had to play it as coolly as he would on base. He flashed a cocky smile.

"Come on, Carter. Loose the 'sir.' I'm not your commanding officer anymore."

She smiled back.

"Sorry. Old habits are hard to break, I guess."

He could see the color forming in her cheeks. He missed that about her.

"So…to what do I owe this unexpected visit on my day off?"

"I was visiting some old friends from my Pentagon days, and I thought that since I was in town, I might as well visit one more…"

"Hammond, that dirty rascal. He gave you my address, didn't he? I told him to not give that address to _anybody_.

She took a step back from the door and dropped her head in disappointment. He couldn't help but notice how her hair had grown a little longer and how the golden locks fell onto her face when she bowed her head.

"Do you not want me here? I mean, I just thought…I could leave…"

"Oh, come on, Carter….of course you are welcome here. If you would have called, I would have given you the address myself. Now, get in here. I'll get you a beer."

He ushered her in and then made his way into the kitchen to get another beer. To him, it felt just like old times back in Colorado. He couldn't help but smile as she took a look around.

"So, this is the new place, huh?"

"Yeah, well. It suits the purpose. It isn't the same as the cabin in Minnesota, though, and it sure doesn't hold a candle to Colorado. Colorado felt _like home_. There's something vital missing here."

He knew he was on the verge of revealing feelings that he wasn't sure should be revealed yet, so he quickly changed the subject, hoping she didn't notice.

"You might as well join me on the patio…too good of a day to just sit inside."

A couple of beers, and a few pieces of pizza later, they were still sitting together out on the patio, shooting the bull like old times. The air was getting cooler, and neither had yet worked up the courage to say what was really on their minds. Suddenly, he could feel a change in her demeanor. She turned to look at him with an all-too-familiar longing.

"Jack….we really miss you at the SGC, you know. We miss this…"

"We?"

Her cheeks turned about a thousand shades of red. She didn't know how to say it properly. The feeling was foreign to her. She was always so put together, but how do you say something that you've had to hide over eight years of working side by side.

"Yeah…well…you know."

He threw his arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder…just as she had done countless times before. He could smell the cucumber melon in her hair. He used to love catching glimpses of that fragrance, although he could have never let her know that in the past. Now wasn't the past, though. Did he dare to take that chance?

"I miss you, Sam."

She looked up at him, with that same longing, and kind of chuckled.

"Hey, you actually called me Sam. You rarely ever do that. It's always 'Carter'."

"Yeah, well…I felt that I had to stay professional, for both our sakes. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to think of you in a professional manner anymore…"

She pulled back in shock that the words were actually being said. Her heart began to flutter slightly. However, he must have mistakenly thought her shock was a bad thing, because he began to stutter.

"It's not that I don't respect your work anymore, or think any less of you as a soldier…it's just…"

She put her index finger across his lips.

"Shh…I know…"

She started to lean in for a kiss when a bright light illuminated the area, and Sam and Jack were suddenly gone from the patio.


	2. Chapter 2

The transport beam took both of them by surprise

The transport beam took both of them by surprise. Sam started glancing around to try to figure out where they were. They definitely were not on an Asgard ship even though that was Asgard beam technology. Jack just stood there disgruntled at the fact that his perfect moment with Sam, back on his patio, was ruined.

"What in blazes….why does that always happen at the most inopportune moments?"

"Jack…um, I hate to say this, but…"

"But what?"

"This looks Goa'uld."

Unfortunately, her suspicions were confirmed an instant when the lights clicked on around them. Their hearts fell when one of their most hated enemies was revealed. The rage within Jack was instant, not only for his hatred of Ba'al, but because Sam was standing next to him, in harms way. He could feel the heat starting to radiate through him.

"Ba'al. Well, you little…"

The confusion on Ba'al's face was obvious. This was not what he had expected.

"What is this? I only had wanted General O'Neill."

"Well, looks like you got a two-for."

"Oh, I'm not complaining. Although Colonel Carter is unexpected, she is a most valuable addition."

Ba'al reached out and stroked Sam's cheekbone and grab hold of her chin. Jack couldn't help but notice her wincing in disgust and anger.

"Plus, beauty like that is welcome here any time."

"HEY! Don't you dare…"

"Oh, don't worry General. I won't harm a single hair on her head..._yet._"

He forcefully yanked his hand away, causing Sam to propel back slightly. Jack reached out his hand to steady her.

"Take them away."

Ba'al turned and walked away. Although the Jaffa were no longer under his service, he did have a collection of remaining Goa'uld to follow his command. Two of them pulled out needles and, without warning, jabbed Sam and Jack in the deltoid. They barely had the time to glance at each other before they went limp.

They awoke a couple of hours later in a cell that Jack both knew and dreaded. The yellow walls were definitely not soothing. Sam was not so much in dread as complete worry.

"Jack, we have a problem."

"Besides the obvious?"

"Yeah. It's not like we got taken captive during a mission. I'm not due back to the SGC for a couple more days. Nobody will know that I'm even missing until then."

"I would worry too much about that."

"Not worry? Why wouldn't I worry about that?"

"Because I am due back to work bright and early tomorrow morning. They will notice that I'm gone. They will come looking for me."

"Well, ok, let's assume they find you missing and start a search, even when they do find out, their first thoughts aren't going to be that you were beamed aboard a Goa'uld mothership and being held captive in what appears to be a Goa'uld fortress."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened to me. Let's face it, stranger things have happened."

She just starred at him.

"Seriously. Don't worry about it. When they realize that I'm missing, they will search my house."

"And I appreciate the thought, but its not like being beamed away leaves any evidence."

"So you would think, right? However, after getting so many surprise visitors in my house in Colorado, I took the advice about a better security system. In my new place, I installed video cameras. There was one pointing right on us on the patio."

There was a period of silence. Jack thought that Sam would be at least a little relieved, but she still seemed lost in thought. Then, she started chuckling which made Jack even more confused.

"Well, I don't think our feelings for each other will be a secret anymore!"

He just shook his head, smiling. Only she could make him smile like that in the most compromising situations. However, he knew what the future held for them, and he knew he had to be truthful with Sam.

"I think our biggest worry isn't the fact that they won't notice we were missing. Our biggest worry is the fact that the last time I was in a place like this, it was impenetrable. You needed Lord Yu to attack Ba'al to help me escape. Well, there are no more Lord Yu's."

He saw her face drop, and his heart dropped in unison. He always did hate seeing that look on her face. At least this time, he didn't have to hide his feelings. He pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, now. It doesn't mean that there isn't hope. They'll find a way to get us out of here. They always do."


	3. Chapter 3

It had been quiet for awhile now

It had been quiet for awhile now. No guards had made their way past the cell for at least an hour. The cement walls were cold against their backs. There must have been a chill in the air outside. Jack and Sam huddled on the bench for warmth. They were both still upset, but little did they know, they were both doing their best to keep it together for the other.

"Hey, it could be worse."

"Jack, how in the world could this get worse?"

"We could be in Antarctica again."

She laughed. He had never noticed just how much he adored her laugh. She made the cutest sound that sounded like a chipmunk and her nose scrunched up slightly. If only the laugh could have lasted, and the worried look had stayed at bay.

"He's going to torture us, isn't he?"

"I'd say that's a pretty safe bet."

"You know, I should be used to this by now…we've been on this side of a Goa'uld cell more times than I can count, but there's just something about this place...makes me shiver."

"Tell me about it. You didn't have to live it the first time around. And hey, there's no shame in admitting fear. This guy has been known to torture people to death just to bring them back alive again. I'm scared shitless."

"You?"

"Yes, me."

"Sorry. It's just that you always seem more quick to action in times like these than to fear.

He leaned back and pointed at himself. She just nodded in amusement.

"I am far from fearless….not only for myself, either. You have no idea how many times I feared for your life as well as Daniel and Teal'c's."

She just watched in silence. He just shrugged.

"I just hide it well because I had to."

She couldn't help but admire him. He was Jack O'Neill, and there was no one else she would rather be with, even in a situation like this.

"At least I'm here with you. We always made one heck of a team, Jack. We are stronger together."

Yes, it was true that they were stronger together, but Jack would have gladly sacrificed himself than put her in harm's way again. His mind flashed back to a memory that he relived over and over in his dreams. _"I didn't leave because I'd rather have died myself than lose Carter." "Why?" "Because I care about her a lot more than I'm supposed to."_ He could see a glimpse of determination in her now, but he could also still see the speckle of fear in her eyes.

"You know, when I left the SGC, I was hoping to never have to see you in this type of a situation again. You have no idea how much I hate seeing you like this, Sam. I lo….I….well, nevermind."

He took a deep breath. Once again, he almost said something he wasn't quite ready to reveal yet. Once again, he hoped she hadn't noticed. If she did, she didn't show it.

"Hey, I know you. I know you would rather have gone through this alone, but I'm glad I'm here with you.

"But, Sam."

"No. I'm not backing down on this. Nobody should have to suffer alone. You and I, we've both been through that enough to know. You, with Ba'al. Me, with Fifth. Those were horrible times, and we both know it. It's harder alone. When we are together, we can at least keep each other motivated."

"I suppose you have a valid point."

"Of course I do."

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him as their lips finally met.

"Thank you, Jack."

"For what?"

"For being there for me, keeping me strong."

"Hey! Like I've told you….always….I will always be there for you."


	4. Chapter 4

Jack was sitting alone in the cell

Jack was sitting alone in the cell. The guards had taken Sam over two hours ago, at least. He had tried to get them to take him instead, to no prevail.

He heard a sound coming from the distance and looked up in despair. Two guards were dragging Sam back into the cell. He watched her chest jaggedly rise and fall with each breath. She was unconscious and badly injured, but at least she was alive. They dropped her by his feet and then walked casually away. He hated their smugness.

"God, Sam, what the hell did he do to you?"

He sat on the floor and laid her head on his lap. She shouldn't have to lie on the cold concrete. Softly, he stroked her hair as he examined her injuries. He almost had to look away. Her clothes were ripped in places a woman's clothes should never be ripped. He took off his sweatshirt and wrapped it around her. It would be cold in his t-shirt, but that didn't matter. There were already fresh bruises starting to form on her wrists where they must have held her down. She slowly started to open her eyes, and her eyes instantly started to well up with tears, not only from the severe pain but from the shame. He pulled her head close to her chest as tears started to form in his eyes, too. Nothing needed to be said. Slowly, she begins to mutter into his chest.

"I hate being beautiful."

He wasn't good with words. He didn't always know what to say, but he knew he needed to try, for Sam's sake.

"Don't say that."

"Do you realize how many threats of this I have received over the years based solely on the way I looked? He just keep telling me how rare my beauty was, and how that should be enjoyed."

His heart deeply ached. He wanted to vomit, but she needed his strength more than ever now.

"Hey, they're Goa'uld. They don't care about anyone but themselves. Beauty is not a possession. Beauty is not something to be used. It should be cherished. You should be cherished."

"Jack…"

"No. Because it's not just your outer beauty, Sam. It's your inner beauty. You are better than them. You are way better than this. Those of us that have had the privilege of being near you are lucky to have just felt your glow."

"I was just going to say 'thank you.'"

"Oh."

She burrowed her head deeper into this chest, and he held her a little tighter. He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks as she slowly began to drift off to sleep. When he was sure that she was sound asleep, he softly whispered I Love You as a single tear made its way down to his chin.

Jack was still holding her tight when his own eyes started to drift shut. His mind began to wander as it had so many nights over the past couple of years. His dream was another that was recurring but definitely not unwanted. He was standing in a tent with the most beautiful woman he could imagine. He can still hear the words vividly._ Look, ah, I will not wear this thing over my face. I do not care how much embroidery it has on it. And this dress, or whatever it's called, I mean I can't move, I can't walk... He takes another breathtaking look at her. I don't know. It...it kinda works for me. I..._ Usually, in this dream, Jack would keep trying to walk towards her as she moved further away…an unattainable goal. Tonight, however, instead of her moving away, she moved towards him. Just as their lips were about to meet, a loud noise awakens Jack from his bliss. When he reopened his eyes, two Goa'ulds were standing over him.

"You. Come with us."

He didn't argue. He knew that he would have to go with them, and he knew where they would be taking him. There was no sense in waking Sam with a struggle. She needed to rest right now, not worry. He gently laid her head down on the floor and exited with the two guards. He soon found himself in front of the man he despised the most.

"Ba'al. Always a _pleasure_…"

"So we meet again, General O'Neill."

"What do you want this time?"

"Well, now. I thought that would be obvious. Revenge"

"Your gripe is with _me_ not _her_. Why didn't you just leave her out of this?"

"Oh, don't think I don't despise Colonel Carter as well. She, too, has made a mockery of me over the years, and that is something that I just cannot allow to go unpunished."

Ba'al stood there with a smug smile on his face, laughing, as Jack's face got beat red.

"However, as much as her punishment was for herself, it was always for you."

"Oh, for crying out loud! What in blazes are you talking about?"

Ba'al got within a foot of Jack's face and started to laugh. He sounded more devilish than ever.  
"Don't think of me as a fool. I know you have strong feelings for her. You didn't think that I would use that to my advantage? I was able to do something to her that you had always dreamed of but never could, and it was wonderful."

"Ba'al, I swear to God…"

"You see. I have hit a sensitive spot within you."

"I would never, and I mean NEVER, hurt Carter. You are one sick and twisted man to think I would EVER do that to her."

Ba'al just laughs boastfully as the two guards hook Jack up to the powerful magnet device that was all too familiar.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam leaned up against the wall, just watching him sleep

Sam leaned up against the wall, just watching him sleep. The guards had dropped him in the cell, and he had yet to wake up. She knew her own injuries were bad, and that the sarcophagus was used on Jack, but she couldn't bear to see him looking like that. She wanted so badly to hold him tight and make it all go away.

He tossed and turned on the floor. His heart was racing as his mind remembered. Softly, she reaches out and touches his arm. His body instantly quiets. Her thoughts quickly wander to a sunny afternoon in Jack's backyard. She had just finished spending the afternoon making wedding plans with Pete, but her mind had been elsewhere. Now, she stands face to face with Jack, her heart pounding._ "Well, actually, uh, I've been sitting in your driveway for the last ten minutes trying to work up the nerve to come talk to you. The truth is that I've been trying to work up the nerve for a lot longer than that." "Oh?" "Pete put a down payment on a house." "Well, that's great." "It's a beautiful house." "But?" "But the truth is I'm having second thoughts about the wedding." "Why?" "You see, the thing is, the closer it gets, the more I get the feeling that I'm making a big, huge mistake." "Look, Carter, I don't know…" "I'm sorry to bothering you with this, but, uh, there is actually a good reason I'm bother you with this, and if I don't tell you know, then I might never…" _She got interrupted. She never told him how she truly felt that day, although her heart desperately wanted her to.

His eyes slowly open, and their eyes meet. Again, nothing needs to be said for with a connection like theirs, silence speaks so much louder than words. As sadden as he was that she had to go through this, he truly was glad that she was there with him. Even torture isn't as bad when he got to awaken to her beautiful face. He wanted to stay strong for her, as he had always done in the past, but he just couldn't this time. Tears began to well.

"Sam..."

"Jack, its okay. You're back in the cell."

"No, Sam. It's not okay. Definitely not okay. He's using you. He's using you to punish me."

"I know. He told me."

"I'm so sorry, Sam..."

She scooted down onto the floor and took his hands in her own as she starred into his eyes with compassion.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"I had always wanted so badly to protect, keep you safe from harm. When things went badly on a mission, my mind fled to doing what it took to keep you safe. Now, here you are, being harmed because of me."

"Ba'al is an evil man. I know you didn't ask for this. You didn't want this to happen. You aren't to blame."

She reached over to touch his face. Although her arm ached, she wiped away his tears anyways. He cherished her touch.

"Still, he's doing this because...I love you..."

The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. He instantly regretted saying them. He hadn't wanted her to know how he truly felt, at least not yet. However, to his shock, she didn't seem surprised. She didn't seem upset. She just gave his hands a loving squeeze.

"I love you, too."

"You do?"

"Of course I do, Jack. I have for a very long time."

"I never knew you felt the same way, to that depth. I mean, I had sensed it, yes, but I thought it was my heart playing tricks on me. I thought that maybe you were too good for me"

"Why do you think I came to visit you in DC?"

"Don't get me wrong. I knew that you liked me. I knew that we both cared about each other a lot more than we were supposed to, but I didn't know you _loved_ me."

Although her body still felt weak, she moved closer and answered him with a kiss...not a light kiss like before, but the kiss she had wanted to give him for a very long time. His lips melted into hers, and he held her as gently as he could. For a split second in time, there was no torture, no Ba'al.

As the cold wind blew outside the fortress, the two held each other in silence. The moment was bittersweet. Both knew that the guards would be back for one of them shortly, but at least they had each other for the moment.


	6. Chapter 6

The more tender touch of the hand, the gentlest warmth of a hug…those were the things that got Jack and Sam through the next c

The tenderest touch of the hand, the gentlest warmth of a hug, the serenity of a smile…those were the things that got Jack and Sam through the next couple of days. They didn't talk much about the things Ba'al was doing to each of them. Neither of them truly wanted to know what tortures the other was going through. The air outside had grown even colder and brought with it a greater chill inside the cell. It was getting harder to hold on to hope.

"Well, Jack, I think we can honestly say that this is the worst we've ever been through."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Do you think that they're out there looking for us?"

"Oh, I'm sure they are by now. It's just gonna take time."

"Time…I don't know how much more of that I have."

Jack sat straight up and grabbed her to attention. He could feel her body slowly growing weaker.

"Samantha Carter, don't you dare let me hear you talk like that again. You are going to make it through this. We both are."

"I don't know, Jack…"

"Well, I do. We are going to make it through this, just like all the times before. Then, I'm going to retire and move back to Colorado, and you'll have your happy ending."

She did her best to smile for him, but she couldn't fully hide her doubt. She turned around and buried her head in his chest while he softly stroked her hair. If there was only one good thing that came from this crisis, it would be how close it brought them together. She thought about how if she truly did die in this place, she would at least die knowing that he had loved her.

He slowly ran his fingers through her golden hair. He breathed her in. She no longer smelled like cucumber melon. She hadn't for at least a day, but he breathed her in anyways because at least it was her. Every time a guard came to take her away, he had this tremendous fear that would be the time she wouldn't return. It was literally breaking his heart. He felt her move beside him.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"About?"

"Wasted time. You have no idea how many times I had just wanted to give it all up just to be with you, but then, I remembered how rewarding my job was…"

"I would have never asked you to give up your career."

"I know. I knew you would say that, but I can't help but feel like we've wasted so much time."

He sat silent for awhile, thinking it over.

"You know, there had been many times where I have felt the same thing…maybe even to a worse extent. I could have easily retired or taken another command much sooner than I had. However, one thing that I have painstakingly come to realize is that you cannot change the past, as much as you may want to. Those weren't wasted years; those were marvelous years of friendship and camaraderie that brought us closer together."

"Yeah, I suppose."

He started to chuckle. It was the first sign of laughter in probably a day and a half, and it took Sam by surprise. She just watched as he got an evil little smirk on his face.

"You know, I might as well be honest. You are either going to find it funny or very upsetting."

"Uh, okay."

"Remember when the base got stuck in that time loop, and they only ones who remembered anything from one loop to the next was Teal'c and I?"

"Yeah."

"Well, during one of the time loops, because I knew time would restart shortly after, I actually did resign."

"You did?"

"Yeah, and then I took you in my arms gave you the most romantic kiss I could muster up at the moment. It was fantastic."

She started chuckling. He was relieved. He hoped that it would make her laugh. It was better the alternative.

"Too bad I don't remember that. That must have been something."

At the moment, there was a large explosion overhead, knocking Sam forcefully into Jack's arms. Then, they heard the all too familiar sound of staff weapons, multiple fires, coming from down the hall. They both sat in shock, not sure of what was going on, until a guard appeared in the doorway of the cell. A staff weapon pointed straight at them. Just as they both began to feel the sweat, the guard's helmet released to someone all too familiar.

"Expecting someone else, General O'Neill?"

Jack let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Teal'c, ol' pal! So nice of you to drop by!"

"Indeed."


	7. Chapter 7

Jack couldn't deny that he felt a huge sense of relief wash over them as he stepped through the gate, and when he made it thro

Jack couldn't deny that he felt a huge sense of relief wash over them as he stepped through the gate, and when he made it through to the other side of the event horizon, he felt like he was home for the first time in over a year.

"General Landry. Always a pleasure. Thanks for the rescue."

"You, as well as Colonel Carter, are legends are here. There isn't a man or woman on this base that wouldn't have stepped through that gate to rescue you. You know that."

Jack just smiled in appreciation. He had great admiration for the team here at the SGC.

"Yeah, I sure do."

Sam was feeling a sense of relief as well. However, hers was a different kind. Her injuries were severe. She had fought to keep herself going, but now she had made it back to the SGC where there was a state-of-the-art medical team. She didn't have to be strong any longer. Jack noticed her starting to waiver at the bottom of the ramp and moved in to support her. She ended up collapsing into his arms, unconscious. Worry washed over him as the medical team rushed to her rescue. Time felt like it was standing still, as it had the many other times he had witnessed her in such a state. He felt completely helpless as they wheeled her away.

After what seemed like an eternity, the medical team got Sam stabilized in the infirmary. Jack grabbed a stool and sat by her bed. He brushed a stray piece of hair off of her forehead, just taking in her beauty as she laid there. He gently took her hand in his to begin waiting it out for the long haul. He was so focused on her that he didn't notice the doctor coming up from behind until she put a hand on his shoulder. He just nodded in acknowledgement.

"I had thought that if we made it home, she would be alright. She was so strong, so willing to fight."

"You're right. She was strong. She should have collapsed long before she did. My guess is that her body shut itself down in order to heal the many injuries that she had suffered. I just find it intriguing that she had multiple severe injuries, and you are close to perfect health."

Jack dropped his head in shame. The last thing he had wanted at the moment was someone to bring that up. He never would have chosen for it to have ended up that way. He would have taken Sam's place on that hospital bed in a heartbeat if he could have.

"You are a fairly new doctor here, aren't you?"

The doctor just nodded. Jack was trying his best to stay calm, but it was hard.

"You aren't too familiar with Goa'uld tactic. They are more evil that you could ever imagine until you witnessed it for yourself."

He could feel the resentment building up in him, not for the doctor, but for Ba'al. He couldn't stop it from pouring out into his words.

"Do you want to know why Colonel Carter is so injured and I am not? It's because he was using her pain and suffering to torture me. He didn't use the damn sarcophagus on her as he did on me."

By this time he was unintentionally yelling at the poor doctor. Tears were about to well up in his eyes when he heard a friendly voice coming from the doorway.

"It's probably best that you don't question Jack too much right now."

The doctor just nodded and walked away defeated. Daniel came and took her place by Jack's side.

"How's she doing?"

"I don't know. The doctor thinks that she is in a coma so that her body can heal the many injuries, but I just want her out of this damn bed."

Daniel knew that it was best to try to bring some lightness to the conversation. Plus, there had been something intriguing him since he found out about Sam and Jack's disappearance.

"So, Sam was visiting you in D.C. over her vacation. Anything you want to tell me about that?"

The inquiry made Jack smile slightly as he remembered that night on the patio.

"What? It was just a friendly visit."

Daniel raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Just a friendly visit?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Daniel pulled up another stool and sat next to Jack. He had been waiting quite along time for this conversation.

"Do you know what was always difficult for me?"

"What?"

"Standing on the sidelines for eight years, watching two of your best friends falling madly in love with one another, and being able to do nothing about it."


	8. Chapter 8

Twenty hours had passed

Twenty hours had passed. Jack had only left for brief periods to take care of a few necessary errands regarding the office in D.C. He hadn't slept, and the only food that he had eaten was the little bit that others had brought him as he kept vigil. It was almost like he was in a trance. At first, he didn't notice the sheets start to move on the bed. Then, he felt her hand weakly squeeze his.

"Hey. Welcome back, sleepy head."

She opened her eyes slowly. Her head was pounding, her mind racing.

"Jack. You're still here."

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just thought they would have needed you back in Washington by now."

He leaned in closer so that no passer-bys could overhear. He wasn't sure if she'd want people in the complex to know.

"I do believe that I made you a promise in that cell. I may not be a lot of things, but I am a man of my word. You came through on your part of the bargain and made it through this blasted ordeal. I came through on my end."

Her eyes widened in confusion and disbelief, partly because she wasn't fully awake yet, partly because she didn't think he was being fully serious before.

"Jack, you didn't have to do that for me. I would have understood."

"Yes, I did….not just for you. I'm being a little selfish, too."

"But where are you going to stay? You don't have a house here anymore."

"Yeah, well, Daniel owed me one."

Her eyes seemed to shimmer and glow. Color was beginning to come back into her pale cheeks. He could tell that she was happy, and that was all that mattered at the moment. He leaned in even closer, so that he was whispering in her ear.

"Plus, I had to be here for the traditional 'Sam's better' shindig. I can't disappoint Teal'c and Daniel. Who else would bring the cake?"

For the first time in over twenty hours, he saw her smile. It made his heart completely melt, and he knew that those long hours of vigil were well worth it.

"Ok, so here's the deal. I'm not good at the whole _personal relationship_ thing as I'm sure you've already guessed. I'm not a gushy romantic. I am horrible with expressing my feelings, but despite all of that, I want to make this little thing between us work."

"Jack…"

"Well, I just thought I would be honest up front."

"I know, but who do you think you're talking to? Did you forget that we served together for eight years? I know your sarcastic sense of humor and rebellion to authority. I know how you love to fish in a pond that has no fish. I know how your favorite show is the _Simpsons_ and how you would always have to tape it when we went on missions. I know how you cheat on crossword puzzles and how if you could have dinner with any woman, it would be Mary Steenburgen. I know that your favorite catch-all answer is 'magnets'. I know that the secret ingredient in your famous egg omelets is beer. I know you, Jack, and I love you just the way you are."

"You don't know that my secret ingredient is beer _for sure_."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Okay. Okay. It is."

A mischievous look comes across her face.

"Is General Landry watching from the gallery?"

"I don't think so."

"Good."

She runs her hands up his chest and pulls him down by his shirt as she kisses him squarely on the lips. For the first time since they met, she didn't care about what people might say on the base. She didn't care who walked by to see them. She just wanted to be close to him.

Jack had to leave while the doctors ran some tests, but when Sam returned to the infirmary after her MRI, she found a gorgeous bouquet of daisies waiting for her. She admired them for a few moments before opening the card.

_Sorry. I didn't know your favorite flower, but I picked daisies because they are colorful, just like you. I know the perfectionist side of you who hates being wrong. I know that you sometimes feel like you have to prove yourself to people even though there is nothing to prove. I know that you never have to cheat on crossword puzzles. I know that your dream had been to become an astronaut but little did you know that you would live out your dream above and beyond those expectations. I know that you have a passion for speed and that you love that motorcycle of yours. I know you, Sam, and I love you just the way you are. _

Tears started to flow down her cheeks. He had been waiting in the doorway and now crept into the room and sat down on the bed beside her, wiping her tears away.

"I'm sorry. I'm not as good as you are when it comes to words."

"No. It's perfect, Jack. Absolutely perfect."


	9. Chapter 9

He stood nervously outside her door

He stood nervously outside her door. His hands rested in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his feet. He couldn't explain it, but after three months, he still got butterflies in his stomach when he came to pick her up. Actually, yes, he could explain it. It was Sam. He couldn't help but want to be perfect for Sam. He was turning into a big softy around her. A couple minutes had passed since he had rung the doorbell. Just as he was beginning to think she wasn't going to answer, the door opens just a crack. She sticks her head out.

"Just give me a minute."

And just like that, the door closes again.

"Uh, okay."

She was doing her best to finish things in the house. She wanted everything to be perfect for him, and this time, it wasn't just the perfectionist within her. It was just the way he made her feel every time he smiled because of something she did.

He went back to rocking back and forth on his feet, his mind racing about what she could possibly be doing in there. It's not like she needed to take a lot of time to get ready. She was already beautiful. After another minute, he started whistling. After five, he sat down on the step. After ten, the door finally opened again, startling him.

"Okay. I'm ready."

He stood up and turned to look at her. She looked absolutely breathtaking in a simple blue skirt and white shirt. It made her blue eyes glow even more radiant. He was speechless for a moment, just taking it all in.

"Uh, so, where are we going?"

"Well, I thought we could stay here tonight. I cooked."

He choked on the air he was breathing. He was absolutely stunned, confused, and concerned all at the same time.

"You, uh, cooked? I thought you didn't cook."

"Well, you know, I wanted to do something special."

"Is it edible?"

She slapped him on the arm. He jerked back, pretending to be in pain.

"Hey! It's an honest question."

She didn't deny that fact. She just laughed and walked back into the house. He followed. When he came into the dining room, he could not believe his eyes. Not only did she cook, but she went the whole ten yards. There were rose petals on the table cloth, candles throughout, the perfect table setting. He knew she must have spent a lot of time and effort on this.

"You are going to make me feel bad."

Sam looked slightly disappointed.

"You don't like it?"

"Oh, no. It's very nice. It just…I might just be that out of practice, but I thought it was the guy's place to do the big romantic gestures."

She came up beside him, and he instinctively put his hand around her waist.

"I know, but I know this type of thing isn't your forte. I thought I would help you out a little bit."

"It's beautiful. You're beautiful."

He leaned down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around him, inviting him closer. Like he had for the past three months, he pulled away, not from the lack of wanting but from his sole desire to protect her.

"We should eat before the food gets cold."

She pulled back in. She knew what he was doing, and she knew that she would have to make the first move.

"It can wait, trust me. It's not very good. I made it, remember?"

As she went to kiss him again, he pulled back away.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Jack, my injuries are all healed. You won't hurt me."

"I don't want you to feel rushed."

"I've waited eight years. Not rushed."

She could still sense the hesitancy within him, but as she ran lazy circles over his back with her hands, she could feel his body start to relax.

"Listen, Jack. I'm not going to make you do anything you're not comfortable with, but I'm ready. I know why you're holding back, but nothing Ba'al did to me can diminish the love I have for you. That's all that matters to me."

Something about her tone of voice brought about a new level in Jack. All of a sudden, holding her close was all he could think about. He needed to feel her baby soft skin and smell the cucumber melon in her hair. He needed to show her that he loved her. She felt the change within him. Softly, she kissed him once again. This time, he didn't pull away, and for the very first time, they made love.


	10. Chapter 10

She sat on the bed, straightening the already straightened sheets, contemplating what to do

She sat on the bed, straightening the already straightened sheets, contemplating what to do. All of the what-ifs were floating through her head, and she couldn't make it stop. She couldn't stop the tears, either. She heard the front door open. It had grown a custom for him to just let himself in. They had been practically living together for the last two weeks. As she heard footsteps nearing, she tried desperately to wipe all the tear drops away so that he wouldn't see her crying.

The moment that he walked into the bedroom, he could tell something was wrong. She had a smile on her face, but he had seen that smile too many times before during combat. That was her 'pretending to be strong' smile. He sat down beside her, just giving her a moment, before saying anything.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Who said anything's wrong?"

"Sam…"

He took her hand in his and just gave her time. He knew that it sometimes took her a lot of courage to let other people in. She felt a little sick to her stomach. She didn't know how he would react, if he would even realize the concerns with the issue.

"Jack, I think we may have a problem."

"Well, I'm sure that it's not something we can handle."

She hesitated, not really wanting to say the words.

"I'm pregnant."

He knew she could feel him tense slightly. He didn't want to, but he couldn't help it.

"Do you think that it's mine?"

Well, that was at least the slightest relief. She was worried that he wouldn't see the potential problem and would be overjoyed. She didn't want to have to explain the potential issues.

"I can't lie to you. I can't be certain. That's what worries me."

He pulled her into a hug. She couldn't stop the tears.

"Oh, Jack. It's times like these when I really wish Janet was still here. I mean, it's not like the doctors at the SGC are bad, but, you know, it's just not the same."

"I know. I know."

After they both had time to adjust, Jack helped her into the car and drove down to the SGC. The doctors there were the only ones who could help her in this type of situation. They got stopped at the security checkpoint.

"General. Always a pleasure, but I don't think we were expecting you."

"Oh, for crying out loud, the Colonel here needs to be seen by the ol' doc. I'm escorting her."

"Don't worry, sir. We weren't going to stop you from entering. We just need you to fill out the necessary paperwork as a guest to the facility. Protocol, sir."

He hastily took the clipboard from the lieutenant. He could have cared less about protocol right now. Sam was hurting…maybe not physically, but hurting none the less. He just wanted to get the necessary exams done with so that at least they would know.

"Thank you, sir. Should I tell the doctor that you are on your way?"

"Yes. I mean, no, it's not an emergency, but yes, tell them we're on our way down."

She was glad that Jack was at least by her side. With every little stop of the elevator, she hoped that she wouldn't run into one of their close friends. She didn't want a spectacle. More specifically, she didn't want to be made into a spectacle. Going through this was hard enough.

They stepped off the elevator in unison, hand in hand. Unfortunately, the lieutenant must have called General Landry as well because they were greeted when they walked through the door.

"Colonel Carter, I heard you were on your way down to the infirmary. Is something wrong?"

"With your permission, sir, I would like to continue on to the infirmary. General O'Neill can brief you on the matter."

The General just nodded in confusion.

"Jack, I'll meet you in my office."

Jack couldn't hide the concern.

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone."

"Its okay, Jack. You can just meet up with me when you're done."

He just watched her walk away, desperately not wanting to leave her side. He waited until she was completely out of his sight before heading toward General Landry's office. By the time he arrived, he had regained his composure.

"Now, Jack, Colonel Carter is a very valuable member of this team. When she shows up unannounced to the infirmary, I can't help but become a little concerned. What in the world is going on?"

"Unfortunately, there's no delicate way to say this, Hank. Colonel Carter is pregnant, and we don't know whether the baby is mine…or Ba'al's."


	11. Chapter 11

A

_A.N.: The beginning of this chapter is addressing a review I had received from a very nice reviewer. Thanks goes out to that reader for pointing out the issue and giving me the idea for the beginning of this chapter. I always enjoy hearing from the readers. This chapter might be a little shorter than usual, but I liked it just the way it is…didn't want to add anything extra that wasn't needed._

……………………

It seemed like waiting was all Jack ever did. He couldn't help but pace the floorboards down. As on cue, Daniel made his way into the room.

"You could have told me, you know."

Jack looked up from the floorboards and just nodded.

"Do you really think the baby could be Ba'al's? I mean, I would think that they would have noticed that type of thing during Sam's initial exam. Not to mention the fact that Sam was taken capture almost four months ago. I would think that a pregnancy from that would have been noticed long before now."

Jack didn't say anything. He just went back to pacing and let Daniel continue. Daniel liked to talk things out anyways.

"Although, I suppose there's the fact that pregnancy isn't always visible immediately. If Sam wasn't reporting any new symptoms after her release, they might have not known to give it a second though. Who knows? Maybe Sam thought that any symptoms she was experiencing were complications from the trauma. You know how Sam doesn't always report all her symptoms because she doesn't want to be taken off of active duty. Plus, I mean, the doctors on staff here are fantastic, but let's face it, they aren't Dr. Frasier. Janet would have known exactly what to look for in that type of situation."

Jack was listening, although it might have appeared differently.

"Do you mind me asking, would you be happy if the baby was yours? I mean, everyone has kind of been assuming that the baby is Ba'al's when in fact, there is a better probability that the baby is yours."

He stopped pacing and just stood there for a moment, pondering the question. In all of the commotion, nobody had bothered to ask him that question. He sighed.

"To be honest, after Charlie died, I wasn't sure if I would ever want to have children again. Plus, I mean, my relationship with Sam is just starting to get serious after so many years of waiting. _Despite_ all of that, yeah, I think I would be happy."

"Well, you know that I'm wishing you the best. Teal'c is, too. For the record, so are Cameron and Vala."

"Ah, yes. Where is Teal'c? I would have expected him to make his appearance known."

"He had business to attend to on Dakura. He couldn't stay, but you know Teal'c, not big on words. He sends his best wishes though."

The sound of a gurney could be heard coming down the hall. Jack shot up to attention and watched as the one he loved was wheeled back into the room. He couldn't read her face this time. She looked too worn out. Her eyes were fatigued. Although he could feel her sense of relief, he didn't know if it was just from the fact that now she knew. The suspense was eating away at his insides. The doctor was staying neutral.

"Although Ba'al is a Goa'uld, she would have been fertilized by the human host, so we would have to assume that the pregnancy would follow the normal timeline. If the baby was indeed the product of Colonel Carter's capture by Ba'al, she would be firmly in the second trimester of pregnancy. A fetus would be very visible on an ultrasound…fingers, toes, the whole nine yards."

Jack liked the direction this was taking.

"So…"

"So, General, Colonel Carter is definitely showing some probable signs of pregnancy. Her body is beginning to undergo the normal vaginal and cervix changes. We did a radioimmunoassay test, which is the most sensitive test for pregnancy, and that came back positive. However, the gestational sac is not yet visible on the ultrasound. There are still not any visible absolute signs of pregnancy, but I would say that there is a Colonel Carter is pregnant and that the pregnancy is less than six weeks."

This was the best news Jack had heard in a long time. He felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, and he knew that Sam must be feeling the same way. After the doctor gave some simple instructions and left, Daniel gave him a pat on the back, gave Sam a nod of congratulations, and left the couple to be alone. Jack just smiled.

"So, not definite yet but extremely probable that you're pregnant and its mine?"

"Most definitely."

"Are you happy?"

"Yeah, I think I am. Are you?"

"It's perfect."

He gave her a kiss on the forehead before gathering her things to take her home. Hand in hand once more, they made their way back to the car, only this time, the worry was replaced by a gentle glow of happiness.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack watched her lying there in bed as he reached out to gently touch her slowly expanding abdomen

Jack watched her lying there in bed as he reached out to gently touch her slowly expanding abdomen. She had just entered her second trimester, and he loved how her skin just seemed to glow and how she got so excited whenever she would tell someone she was pregnant. Even as she laid there in bed, her whole face just seemed to light up. She seemed so content. After all that had happened to him during his lifetime, having another child was not something he was sure he could handle…that was until now. He knew that he could raise a child with Sam. She was going to be a wonderful mother.

"So, I was thinking…"

"Yeah?"

"Well, we are having this child together. I was thinking that maybe we should, you know, get married."

Sam was completely surprised. She definitely did not expect that conversation to come up. With all that Jack had been through in the past, she didn't think that he would want that type of commitment. Needless to say, she was speechless.

"I mean, if that's what you want, of course."

She starred into his loving eyes. They seemed to twinkle with sincerity and devotion. There had always been doubts about marriage in the past, mainly because she didn't want to start a life with someone, not know if she was going to make it home at the end of the day. Plus, she didn't want to get involved with someone and have it ultimately end up in heartache and pain. It was different with Jack, though. He completely understood and was supportive of her work. No, correction, he completely understood and was supportive of her, and she never worried about him leaving her. He was always there for her when she needed him the most. For the first time, she had someone in her life that she could not imagine living without.

"Yeah. I think that would be a wonderful idea."

She could see the exhilaration in his face. This really did mean a lot to him and that made it even more special. However, like always, he was concerned with her wellbeing over his own.

"Now, I don't want you to feel rushed into this. It's okay if you need to take some time to think things over, analyze the situation."

"Jack, let's face it. Although we haven't been officially dating for that long, we have had a very close-knit relationship for years. Once again, I don't think anything in this relationship is rushed."

"I know, and I hate to bring this up, but I just remember when you told me about your engagement with Pete…all those doubts you had about marriage."

"In all honesty, the only reason I was having doubts is because the person I had really wanted to be with was _you_."

He knew in his heart that was true. He just wanted her to be happy.

"Do you want me to do that whole 'get down on one knee' thing?"

"No, that's not our style."

"Another thing…if we do this, I don't really want a big ceremony. Frankly, I did that once, and I think it just takes away from the part that really matters."

"Hey…agreed. Do you know what sounds perfect to me? Cassandra, Daniel, Teal'c, Vala, Cameron, General Landry, General Hammond, Mark and the family, and the Justice of the Peace."

"What about Jonas?"

"And Jonas."

"Okay, then."

"Okay."

Sam nestled in against his chest and listened to his heart beating. It was going a mile a minute; she could tell he was ecstatic. Simplicity. That's all she wanted. They have had enough chaos for one lifetime, or so she would like to think. She could hardly believe it herself, but for the first time, she seriously wanted to have a family…to be a mother and a wife.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, lingering slightly to take in the cucumber melon on her hair. He could not remember a time when he was ever happier.


	13. Chapter 13

Jack hung up the phone after telling General Hammond the good news, and he ventured through the house to find Sam

_A.N.: In this chapter, I used lyrics from "Like A Prayer" by Madonna and "Heaven Help Me"by Wynonna Judd._

…………….

Jack hung up the phone after telling General Hammond the good news, and he ventured through the house to find Sam. The house was completely empty, but he eventually found her out back in the garage polishing her bike. She didn't hear him walk up, and he couldn't help but laugh to himself. She had the boombox blaring and was dancing wildly and singing along as she worked, using the washcloth as a microphone.

"Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone. I hear you call my name, and it feels like home….when you call my name, it's like a little prayer. I'm down on my knees. I wanna take you there…."

He snuck up behind her and planted a kiss on her neck, startling her. To him, the way her movements and actions reflected an inner innocence felt like a breath of fresh air amongst the drama of their every day lives.

"Good job, Madonna."

"Oh, shut up. How long were you standing there?"

"Just long enough to see you shake that cute little booty."

Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red. He just stood there, laughing.

"What? It's good exercise. I feel fat."

"You're pregnant, and you're beautiful…but I _do_ love your form of exercise."

He wrapped her in a hug from behind, and whispered into her ear.

"I have a song, too, you know."

She didn't say anything. She just let him sing to her.

"I could lose my vision, my eyes no longer see. I could lose my religion in my struggle to believe. That would be a loss, that would be a cross, but somehow I'd rise above, but Heaven help me if I ever lose your love…"

She turned to face him and softly kissed his lips. He felt his body start to melt with her embrace, and he tightly wrapped his arms around her. They were so caught up in one another that they didn't notice when company arrived at the garage door. Teal'c raised an eyebrow in approval. Daniel just smiled and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Uh, hello. Are we interrupting something?"

Jack and Sam stop dead in their tracks and turn to look at their guests, guilty looks on their faces.

"Daniel, and to what do we owe this visit?"

"Well, you know, the funny thing is…Teal'c and I just happened to be driving around after picking up some pizza, and we noticed both your cars were out front.

Jack and Sam shot each other a glance, start laughing, and state in unison:

"Funny."

Sam reluctantly let go of Jack to go turn off the boombox, but as she turned back around, there eyes connected in a way words never could, promising to resume their actions later on.

"Oh, and Sam, before I forget…Vala wanted me to tell you that she wanted to go clothes shopping with you for the wedding. You know how much she loves shopping."

Sam just shook her head.

"Wedding planning already, huh? We just decided to get married this morning. Heck, Jack probably just got off the phone with you a little over an hour ago.

Daniel had that look on his face like he was the cat that caught the canary.

"Uh, yeah, well, you know. We all just kind of thought that you'd probably be having the wedding soon, with you due in five months and all…"

She laughed even harder as she took the pizza box from Daniel and gave a wink at Jack.

"Don't worry, Daniel. I'm just teasing.

"Colonel Carter, I must congratulate you on your decision to enter into union with General O'Neill."

"Thank you, Teal'c."

Jack came up and put his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Sam, do you know what would have been strange and unexpected?"

She just starred at him blankly.

"If these two _wouldn't_ have shown up today. Come on, let's eat."

The truth is, just as Jack couldn't imagine his life without Sam, he couldn't imagine a life without Teal'c and Daniel as his friends. He starts walking up to the house but shouts out over his shoulder.

"But a two beer maximum for Daniel this time."


	14. Chapter 14

She couldn't wait for all of their close friends to arrive, so when Jonas Quinn stepped through the gate two weeks later, Sam

She couldn't wait for all of their close friends to arrive, so when Jonas Quinn stepped through the gate two weeks later, Sam was there waiting for him.

"Colonel Carter! Always nice to see you, but what's going on? I was told that I had to come back to Earth by your request, but they wouldn't tell me why. Has something happened?"

She could see the worried expression etched on his face. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to leave him in the dark about why he was coming for a visit. Jonas always was a more sensitive one.

"Its okay, Jonas. Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to tell you the good news myself."

She could immediately see the worry dissipate.

"_Good _news?"

"Yeah. _Good_ news. Two things actually. I'm getting married, and I'm pregnant."

Jonas couldn't hide his surprised expression, but he nodded in approval.

"Well, that's fantastic. Who's the lucky guy?"

"Uh…Jack."

Sam thought that Jonas would be shocked to hear that comment, but he wasn't. Actually, he didn't seem the least bit surprised. He just smirked and nodded.

"Well, now, you see…I always knew there was something between you two. To be honest, it just seemed inevitable. Heck, there were times when working with the two of you where I felt I was living in your own personal love story. So where is the guy?"

"Jack no longer works at the SGC. He had moved on the Washington a little over a year ago and has since retired."

"Yeah, I suppose he wouldn't still be working here. You guys wouldn't be together if had, right?"

"Right."

By this time, the other members of SG-1 had arrived due to the 'unscheduled off-world activation' alarm. Vala had no trouble welcoming this new guest. She walked right up to him and put her hands on his chest. Cameron just shook his head, burying it in his hand. Daniel and Teal'c just found it amusing that Jonas was the one going through it.

"Well, who is this handsome man? It's _very_ nice to meet _you_."

Sam wedged herself between Vala and Jonas.

"Uh, Vala…meet Jonas Quinn, former member of SG-1. Jonas, meet Vala, current member of SG-1."

Someone new came into the room, breaking up the awkwardness. To Sam's surprise, and delight, the General who walked through the doorway to greet Jonas was not General Landry. General Landry was a wonderful man, and all, but nobody could ever replace the man now standing before them.

"Jonas. It's nice to see you again. Here for the wedding, I presume."

Sam could barely stand the excitement, but he was a military General, after all. She stood at attention as did Cameron.

"General."

"At ease, Colonels. I'm retired."

"Sir, it's so nice to see you again."

General Hammond was overjoyed. He not only felt a huge sense of belonging being back inside of this base, but he felt so proud for the happy couple. He, along with the majority of people who had worked with the couple, had seen this coming for a very long time. He did something completely out of character as he wrapped Sam in a hug.

"I have cared about you as I would my own daughter. My only disappointment is that Jacob couldn't be here to see this. He would be so proud."

As he let go, he could see the glimmer of sadness in her eyes as she contemplated her father.

"If you want to know the honest-to-God truth, Jacob had come to see me after you had became engaged to Pete because he was consumed with worry that his only daughter was making the biggest mistake of her life. He continued to say how he had watched Jack and you interacting as you worked side by side and how he could just tell you were head over heels in love. Frankly, I told him just how much I agreed with him, but what could we do about it? Now, he would be full of pride to see his daughter living her dream."

Sam couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheek. She felt truly loved, and that feeling was completely irreplaceable.

"Thank you, sir."


	15. Chapter 15

A

_A.N. So I wanted to add into the story how beneficial it was for Sam to have someone in her life who understood her work and what she goes through on a day to day basis at the SGC. _

………

The ceremony was simple, just as Sam and Jack had wanted. There were no special frills, just two people expressing their love, surrounding by people who cared about them, and it was beautiful. Neither of them could have asked for more.

They were three days into their honeymoon in Minnesota. Jack was sitting on his pier, casting his line, and his beautiful wife was sitting next to him. Unlike the traditional honeymoon activity of reading a novel, Sam was attempting to write one on the topic of theoretical astrophysics. Every few casts, he would glance over and just smile and stare. He still became amazed at her sheer intelligence. There wasn't jealously or despising…just pure admiration, respect, and love.

She couldn't believe how perfect her life was at that very moment. She was married to one of the greatest men she had ever known and respected, and she was carrying his child. The sun was warm, the pond refreshing, and they were both doing the things they loved in harmony. Every few paragraphs, she would glance over and just smile and stare. However, her thoughts of perfection came two minutes too soon. She should have known that nothing in her life comes that perfectly. Just as she was finishing her sentence, her cellphone rang and a shiver ran up her spine.

"I thought we agreed on no cellphones by the pond."

"Sorry. It's the base. It could be important."

He just nodded as she answered the phone.

"Colonel Carter?"

"This is General Landry. I'm sorry to have to bother you on your honeymoon."

"That's okay, sir. Is something wrong?"

"I felt the need to inform you that SG-1 and SG-5 went on a mission to try to find this arc that supposedly contains a weapon to bring down the Ori."

"Yes. I knew of the mission. Daniel told me about it before I left. He was very excited about it."

"Yes, well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they were supposed to report in early this morning and never did. They are now eight hours past due for radio contact. I'm sorry, Colonel."

She felt the wind being knocked out. Her team was MIA.

"Do you need me to come back to base, sir."

"No. That isn't necessary. There is not much that you can do at this point in time."

"You could send a rescue team in. You know that I would be happy to…"

"Oh, no. You know very well that you are off active duty. There is no way I can expose you to the Ori in your present condition."

"But, sir…"

"Absolutely not, Colonel. Now, I will report back to you when we receive more news."

"Yes, sir."

Sam started to shake slightly as she snapped her cellphone shut. Never before had she been quite this powerless when a team member had gone missing. Jack watched as her eyes began to water. He only heard her side of the conversation, but it didn't sound good.

"What's going on?"

"SG-1 and 5 are eight hours past due for radio contact."

He wrapped her tightly in his arms. Nothing more needed to be said. The experience was not new to either of them. Although no longer a member of SG-1, two of his closest friends were missing. He also couldn't help but thinking that Sam would have normally been a part of that mission as well.

"It'll be okay. They'll find them. For all we know, they are just in hiding somewhere out of range of radio contact. We've been in multiple situations like that. Plus, I haven't worked with Vala and Cameron, but I do know that Daniel and Teal'c are very good at what they do. They know how to take care of themselves."

She just nodded into his chest. She didn't know why, but for a man who claimed to be bad with words, he always seemed to know what to say to make her feel a little better. Maybe it wasn't just his words; maybe it was the feeling of having someone who understood just what she was going through. She knew that it would be nerve-wrenching until they found out more information, but at least he was there by her side. They truly were stronger together.


	16. Chapter 16

When they still hadn't heard anything by the next morning, Jack started to pack up the bags

When they still hadn't heard anything by the next morning, Jack started to pack up the bags. He knew that trying to have a normal honeymoon was futile, and he knew that she needed to be back in Colorado Springs in a vain attempt to help the cause somehow. He didn't want to leave her side for her to go back to work, but although she didn't ask to return to Colorado Springs, he just knew that's what she needed to do.

She walked into the bedroom after a short walk outside to find the bags packed and on the bed.

"Jack, what's going on?"

"I'm taking you back to Colorado."

"I could never ask you to…"

"I know you couldn't ask. That's why I'm just doing."

She just stood there, not knowing what to say. She didn't want him to give up his honeymoon. Heck, she didn't really want to give it up, but she knew that she would never be able to enjoy herself knowing that her team was missing. The amazing thing is that he seemed to understand that completely. She imagined that most men would have been begging her to stay, but here he was, helping her go.

"You do know that we could go all the way back to Cheyenne Mountain to find that they had just come through the gate."

"Yeah, I know. That would be wonderful, actually."

"No, I mean, we could be giving up the rest of our trip for nothing…_either way_."

"It wouldn't be for nothing. They _will_ be found. If that just happens to be right after we show up, then we have to celebrate with them anyways. We'll bring the cake."

She felt more love for her husband at that moment than she think she had ever felt in the past, and that is saying something. Back in the years when she thought that Jack was unattainable, she feared that she would never find someone who would be able to accept and understand her job responsibilities and what she did for a living. There would have always been chunks of her life that she would never have been able to share. Now, here she was, with a man who completely loved her who exactly who she was. He put her needs before his own, giving unselfishly. He understood what she did for a living and fully encouraged her to do it.

Her eyes portrayed a love and appreciation that would bring any man to his knees. She ran her hands up from his waist, across his chest, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Softly, she brought her lips to his. She felt an unquenchable desire to show him the love overflowing within in.

"Uh, Sam…I thought you would want to get going soon."

"Oh, I do. You know I do, but there's just this one thing that I have to do first."

As he laid next to her afterwards, he almost feel the love radiating off of her, and he knew that he felt the same way about her. That is why he got out of bed, got dressed without a word, and loaded the bags into the car. Realizing what he was doing, she got dressed as well. A half hour later, they were driving down the driveway on the way back south. They were just passing the Colorado state line when Sam's cellphone started to ring. She gave Jack an unsure glance before slowly opening the phone.

"Sam?"

That voice sent a wave of relief ricocheting through her.

"Daniel. It's good to hear your voice. We didn't know you were back."

She could sense the relief washing over Jack as well as he heard her talking.

"Well, we just got back. I knew that General Landry had called you, so I figured that I had better make an update to you my first order of business."

"God, Daniel. What happened out there?"

"General Landry's assumption was right. We were taken prisoner by the Ori. However, thanks to an act of luck, Tomin was the commander of the invading army."

"Wait…Tomin, as in Vala's husband, Tomin?"

"Yeah. That's what saved us. It took some convincing, but Vala was able to us that connection to secure an escape."

"I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yeah, well, I had better go to the infirmary for the post-mission physical. I just wanted to make sure you weren't worrying about us unnecessarily."

"Thanks, Daniel."

Sam slowly closed her phone with a smile.

"Well, we can go back to the cabin if you want to."

"Oh, pa-shaw."

He waved his hand in dismissal as he pulled his car into the parking lot of one of his favorite bakeries.

"Can't forget the cake!"

They laughed as they walked hand in hand into the bakery. Suddenly, she stopped in surprise and put his hand on her belly. As if it was celebrating, too, the baby could be felt kicking for the first time.


	17. Chapter 17

He sighed as he sat his Guinness down on the table next to him

He sighed as he sat his Guinness down on the table next to him. The sun was warm, the air refreshing. He couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu, remembering an afternoon on his patio a little over a year ago. This time, though, he didn't have to worry about days off. He was retired and enjoying it. He still wasn't in Minnesota, but that didn't seem to matter anymore. There wasn't anything he could think of that could have possibly made the afternoon more perfect.

He smiled as he heard the one he loved enter onto the patio. She was softly humming a lullaby as she cradled their baby girl in her arms.

"She's beautiful, you know. So are you."

She leaned down to give him a small kiss. She could not believe all of the changes that had happened over the past year. They had a lot of heartache and struggles, and she figured that there would be plenty of hard times in their lives still to come with her line of work, but they had enough love to conquer it all. If someone had told her a little over a year ago that there would come a time when her personal life outweighed her career, she would have starred at them and laughed. Granted, her career would still be an important part of her life. She was still SGC's leading expert on the gate and an extraordinary theoretical astrophysicist. However, now, what she found waiting for her at home was more worthy of her time and energies.

"Can you believe it, Jack?"

He just looked up at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Can you believe that after all the struggles and near-death experiences that we've had to face in life that we would end up here?"

"Never ceases to amaze me."

She sat down beside him and leaned in for another kiss. He then softly leaned down to kiss little Cadence on the forehead…his pride and joy. Coming up the back steps of the patio were Teal'c, Daniel, Cameron, and Vala…Teal'c, of course, holding the pizza.

……………..

And so, that's the story of Jack and Sam. Moral of the story? Never give up hope. We are never as alone as we sometimes feel we are, and even for people whose lives are filled with conflict and struggles on a day to day basis, there will still be moments in time where life is picture perfect.

The End


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